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Beginners guide to BI Dashboards
1. Xcelsius
2. Working with Dashboards
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Introduction to Xcelsius
Xcelsius or BI Dashboard is a standalone windows application, which is used for data
visualization. The tool could alter a flat excel sheet to powerful, flexible, interactive and
impressive presentations. It uses excel data sheet to publish interactive reports as flash files
(swf). Xcelsius projects are saved locally as “.xlf” files.
.
Toolbar
Component
Browser
Canvas
Properties
Panel
Excel Spreadsheet
Object
Browser
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1) Component Browser
It shows the components that can be added to the visualization. Views can be changed as per the
developer need.
2) Canvas
This is the work area where developer will place all the components that needed for visualization.
Background color can be changed using “Canvas Properties”. Components can be placed on to the
canvas by either drag & drop or by clicking the component and selecting the space in canvas.
After selecting your component, if we need to eliminate the surrounding white area in the canvas
one can use “Fit Canvas to Components” button on the toolbar. To shrink or grow the canvas
background one can use “Increase Canvas” or Decrease Canvas button.
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Canvas/Document properties can be changed from the “File” menu in the toolbar, like document
properties, Canvas preferences etc and also using “Properties panel”.
3) Properties Panel
Here we can format/edit the properties of the component selected in the canvas area.
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General Tab – It contains the
general properties for the
component selected. Here we
can change the Title, subtitle,
labels, data source – values to
be selected in the excel sheet
etc.
Insertion Tab – This is to add
drill down capabilities for the
chart
Behavior Tab – Contains
settings for visualization
behavior of the component
selected.
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Appearance Tab – To change
the esthetic settings of the
component selected
Alerts – will specify
intended/unintended deviations
in data
4) Object Browser
This is to navigate between your objects/components. One can select, hide, show, cut, copy, paste,
delete, bring forward, move back, group, ungroup, lock, unlock and access the properties of the
components.
This can be also be accessed directly from component
context menu on individual components in the canvas
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Grouping Components – Select several components, R.C on any of the component and select
“Group” from context menu.
Hiding Components –
Locking components - Components can be locked in the canvas, so to prevent interaction with them
when working with other items.
Delete/Rename Components- One can directly delete or rename the components from the Object
browser or context menu. No need to un-group grouped items for performing individual deletion of
components.
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